2026 World Series Best Bets: MLB Championship Predictions & Picks
The 2026 MLB regular season has concluded, and it is time to shift complete focus towards the postseason. There is always value to be had in the postseason betting markets with expanded prop menus and niche markets popping up on various sportsbooks. This article focuses on the World Series winner prediction as well as a long shot way of approaching this postseason. Let’s dive in!
Best MLB Postseason Futures Bet: Los Angeles Dodgers to win the 2026 World Series (+230)
Odds available at FanDuel sportsbook at time of publishing. Playable to +200 odds
The Los Angeles Dodgers were priced by FanDuel as +230 favorites to win the World Series during Spring Training, and they were my best bet at that time given their lethal roster. Kyle Tucker, Freddie Freeman, and Mookie Betts each had underwhelming seasons in terms of their career production and expectation level. Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, and Shohei Ohtani each dealt with injuries in their starting rotation and combined for only 202.1 innings pitched in the regular season. Still, this team was able to power their way to 100 wins and the 2nd best record in baseball behind the Milwaukee Brewers. Max Muncy and Andy Pages had excellent seasons at the plate while Yoshinobu Yamamoto continued pitching like one of the premier starters in the sport.
Milwaukee is a classic regular season juggernaut that seemingly struggles each time the calendar flips to October. They have pitching versatility and a true ace atop their rotation, but so do the Dodgers. The Acquisition of Tarik Skubal at the trade deadline reinforces this Dodgers pitching staff and gives them an ace to turn to in the biggest moments. It is clearly a massive challenge to 3-peat, but this Dodgers roster is more than equipped to do so, and they have already proven their mental strength. I favor them against the winner of Philadelphia vs Atlanta and find some value in their current pricing to win the whole thing!
2026 MLB World Series Longshot Pick: New York Yankees to win the 2026 World Series (+850)
Odds available at DraftKings sportsbook at time of publishing. Playable to +800 odds.
A secondary option to consider if looking for an alternate World Series option is the New York Yankees in the American League. The American League seems to be more open entering the postseason with several teams staking their claim as a World Series contender. Tampa Bay has the top seed in the AL after winning the AL East and they will receive a 1st round bye as a result. This forces the Yankees and Red Sox to battle in the Wild Card round against one another with Tampa Bay waiting for the winner in the ALDS. Both Boston and New York have the talent to compete for the AL crown. Given this extra hurdle the price on New York is set at 8/1, a price good enough to show some value for me.
Tampa Bay is an excellent regular season team that found a way to win enough games to position themselves for success. The Yankees are better built for the postseason, in my estimation, even with the absence of Aaron Judge. New York has a lethal top of their rotation with Cam Schlittler, Max Fried, and Gerrit Cole set to start the team’s first 3 games. You’ll be hard pressed to find many playoff rotations better than that, and that strength should be what New York leans on. The lineup certainly misses Judge, but Ben Rice and company still possess enough pop to provide this pitching staff with sufficient run support. While the Dodgers are still my pick to win the whole thing, +800 on New York is an enticing option as well.
